For state wine producers, vote brings no sour grapes

Winemaker Andrew Snyder with Sand Hill Vineyards places a bottle of Sand Hill Vineyards Da Zinci, a chocolate port-style wine, on the shelf after making a direct delivery at Pancho’s Liquortown in Oklahoma City on Monday. Because of the new Oklahoma law, Snyder says that by selling directly to Pancho’s Liquortown he is able to have six different wines produced by Sand Hill on the shelf whereas he was only able to have two when using a distributor. Photo BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN

Small Oklahoma wine producers are celebrating a state question passed by more than a two-to-one margin last week that allows state wineries to self-distribute their products to wine and liquor stores.

But in 2006, a federal court ruled the measure violated interstate commerce law by not providing similar freedoms to out-of-state wineries.

The state’s winery owners hope the new state law will satisfy such concerns.

A first deliveryMonday, Andrew Snyder, owner of Sand Hill Vineyards in Calumet and Geary, delivered wine to Pancho’s Liquortown at 6801 N Meridian.
Licensed wineries in Oklahoma now can sell directly to retailers.

Previously, state wine producers had to go through wholesalers, many of whom decided it wasn’t worth it financially to deal with wine makers who produced fewer than 10,000 gallons per year.

Home to 50 wineriesOklahoma is home to about 50 wineries, and producers worried they faced tough times ahead without passage of last week’s state question.
The law allows patrons at wineries to sample and buy wine.

Just for the transition period, the Oklahoma Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement Commission waived its requirement that wine makers post prices with the agency 45 days in advance.

Snyder said state wine producers are grateful for such a break.

"They gave us a jump-start so we could take advantage of the new law this holiday season,” said Snyder, president of the Oklahoma Grape Growers and Wine Makers Association.